Cataract Surgery # 2 - huge price increases

Had my right eye surgery done on December 17, 2013 at a cost of 30,000฿ ($940 exchange rate at the time). 

Recently found out that such a surgery would cost 100,000฿ at the government hospital. Doctors wanted to add the cost of a more expensive lens, adding another 30,000฿. 

A friend arranged a visit to the Udon Eye Clinic, where the doctor spoke English and answered all my questions. 

The reason for government hopital high prices, more than double (x2.5) for foreigners is because nationals from nearby countries were taking advantage of Thailand's low medical prices and overburdening the system. 

That is probably not going to help Thailand's medical tourism. 

The big difference between lenses is the cheaper lens has only one focus and requires reading glasses for near sight. The more expensive lens focuses near and far. The optometrist recommended both eyes should have identical lenses to minimize future problems.

Needless to say I will be having Cataract surgery in Udon at lesser cost than quoted here in Sakon Nakhon 

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

191109 The name is self explanatory

Every time I receive medicine I get on the web to find out what the medicine is for and recommended dosage.  This latest batch of medicine is self explanatory. 
Paindol is obviously medicine to relieve the pain. In this case  it's a generic version of tramadol

MYDOCALM  is obviously the muscle relaxant

I opted to go to the private hospital, knowing it would be more costly than a clinic or the government hospital. It was quicker. 

The doctor visit and three medications cost 550฿ (US$18).  At a clinic this would have cost no more than 200฿, but the wait period would most likely have been an hour or more

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

I'm playing this new board game 'remove duplicate, unneeded, useless medicine .' I'm down to two per day, plus a multivitamin.

The ear-nose-throat doctor diagnosed acid reflux  and advised not to lay down for up to four hours after a meal. Did some further reading.  Taking a walk after a meal helps digestion. Rabeprazole  (30 day supply 1,000 THB) has replaced miracid and / or omeprazole. Comparison of rabeprazole 20 mg vs. omeprazole 20 mg in the treatment of active gastric ulcer--a European multicentre study. The European Rabeprazo... - PubMed - NCBI

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

Let's hope the game will be as hot as the weather

Weather Alert Update: Delayed, reduced, occasional Real Feel temperature sun = 42,tue = 44, wed = 40, thur = 38, fri = 36  This might be a weeklong mini rainy season preview
Sakon Nakhon hosts  10th place Nakhon Ratchasima Huai Thalaeng United, TODAY 4 PM, S.A.T. stadium on airport road It's a must win day for Sakon Nakhon FC.  The team sank from 11th  to 13th in the league of 14, after Sisaket won their first game of the season (4-2 Buriram) yesterday. Nong Bua had a 0-0 draw with Surin Sugar.  Let's hope the game will be as hot as the weather
Pool cleaning has become a daily necessity.  Overhead green tarps give the water a green appearance. Check water balances daily and vacuum the bottom daily. Most days I won't bother with filters, just suck the dirty water out and replace clean water.  The sand filter just does not impress me.
Had to buy a magnifying glass to sort through  over prescribed medicines

สกลนคร Sakon Nakhon

No one has died from an overdose

Saw parts of the CNN produced documentary 'Weed," part 1 on TV. It discussed the pros and cons, the fears and hopes without apparent prejudices.  

Seems pot can cause irreversible brain damage to the young and should require a legal consumption age similarly to alcohol laws, age 21.

Most interesting to me were the health benefits claims. It's not the THC affecting startling results. There are 483 known chemical compounds in cannabis with benefits discovered in the treatment of  acne, ADD, anxiety, arthritis, cancer, chronic pain, depression, diabetes, Dravet syndrome, epilepsy, glaucoma, Huntington’s Disease, inflammation, mood disorders, multiple sclerosis, neuropathic pain, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.CBD has also been shown to stop the spread of cancer cells.

The regular user is better able to control his behavior than the occasional user.


 
Cannabis can be grown without traces of thc, just as poppies can be grown without their chemical compounds